TV Scout Reports

The Times Daily, September 11, 1970

The Reviewer's Pen

The Kentucky New Era, October 1, 1970

Popular 'Soap Opera' Movie; Dark Shadows Near Completion

The Windsor Star, May 21, 1970

Overplay Marks Horror Movie

The Bangor Daily News, October 22, 1970

On The Esquire Screen

The Southeast Missourian, October 9, 1970

Movie Resurrects New Horror Cycle; Jonathan Frid's Vampire Role Results In Erotic Overtones

The Daily Times-News, August 22, 1970

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Finally a movie review which isn't fluff and a follow-up piece discussing the erotic overtones of vampirism! The write up on House of Dark Shadows delves briefly into the trends with the paranormal in Hollywood and then gives a brief synopsis of what the movie is all about without getting hypercritical of the genre or over-analyzing it. It then segues into the eroticism of the vampire legend while mentioning both the show and the aforementioned movie. The short bit at the end about Frid's bat conservancy efforts only adds to the spread.

House Of Dark Shadows & The Fearless Vampire Killers advert

I'm not sure exactly where this advert is from -- I had it marked 1987 though I'm certain that is incorrect -- but I believe it to be a Milwaukee or Madison, Wisconsin paper dated from 1970 or 1971. More specifically the Milwaukee Journal of the The Capital Times out of Madison. Either way it's a double-billing of HODS Polanski's brilliant The Fearless Vampire Killers, a horror comedy. No matter what you think of Polanski the movie is quite entertaining and excellently cast, directed and performed. having now come across several different versions of this double-billing I think this one is the best but only because Barnabas is inside Carolyn's mouth.

House of Dark Shadows & Night Of Dark Shadows advert

The San Antonio Express, October 13, 1971

"This sweet thing can do a lot to a man. Like suck every drop of blood from his body."

And thus commenced the beginning of the end of the original DS franchise as the television series was cancelled earlier that year. This is a double billing along with House of Dark Shadows which were featured at the Capitan, San Pedro and Town Twin in San Antonio during October 1971. I hope you're up for some Night of Dark Shadows adverts because the alphabetical order Gods say that they're next in line to be posted.

Historic Site For Filming 'Shadows'

The Windsor Star, April 13, 1970

Another HODS blurb from the Canadian side of the fence although Windsor, Ontario is more or less South Detroit (as you have to travel south to cross into Canada from Detroit.).

From Shakespeare To Fame As Ghoul

The Big Spring Herald, October 25, 1970

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This is merely another House of Dark Shadows mention simply to get DS in the newspaper sort of article with nothing new in the writing to concern the rabid fan. But like most of these it's fun to see them in an old newspaper seeing as the digital age has killed anything of value in the written word department.

DS Blurb from The New York Times

The New York Times, April 5, 1970

This is a short mention of the filming of the first DS movie as it coincided with the television show production. The plot line of chaining Barnabas in the coffin for 5 weeks was probably the death knell for the franchise but Dan Curtis often claimed that he was sick of the program by then and wanted to move on. I'm not so sure that I buy into that rationale as much as he thought that he could pull two projects off at once and failed at making it effectively happen.

'Dark Shadows' At Fox

The Toledo Blade, October 15, 1970

This is a movie review for "House of Dark Shadows" which was playing at the Fox Theatre in or near Toledo, Ohio the week of October 15, 1970. It's a negative review which is more on target than not even though the reviewer seemed to miss the point that DS was more so a drama than a gorefest despite it's paranormal footing. 

And Then 150 Arrows Will Go Thunk! Thunk!

from The New York Times, May 10, 1970

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Another article describing Dan Curtis as a hulking wild man and describing the hectic scene on the set of House of Dark Shadows. At least this one works in some mention of his wife and family, albeit with pithy remarks, of course, and his life before and during DS. I don't know why I expected high cultured critiques of the show since it was always categorized as camp but most of these sort are dismissive of the cultism of the show more so than its wide appeal as great and innovative television. This is also, unfortunately, one of those archival reprints that clips off the last letters of sentences at the margins. Luckily, there isn't much new to be learned from it and the words fill in themselves.

from The Daytona Beach Morning Journal, May 24, 1970

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Another interview speaking to Frid's boredom with the occult, vampires, et al. and how he wants to get back to the stage even though he was enjoying his stint on DS. This article also segues into House of Dark Shadows which was being filmed at the time in Tarrytown, NY and ties it in with Washington Irving and the headless horseman, of course. Boooo, etc.

A 'House Of Dark Shadows'

from The Deseret News, September 11, 1970

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Just a common review of the first DS movie with glancing references to the stars and plot.

Three Bears Restaurant Used In Filming Of 'Dark Shadows'

from The Bridgeport Sunday Post, July 12, 1970

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Here's an newspaper article concerning the Three Bears restaurant which served as the Collinsport Inn in the movie "House of Dark Shadows." I wish the pictures of Frid and Grayson Hall were better but that's unavoidable with old newspaper scans from Google News. The article still gives a decent history synopsis of the place and this article spells out it's unfortunate end.

House Of Dark Shadows: Come See How The Vampires Do It

from The Virgin Islands Daily News, May 15, 1971

This is a great advert from The Virgin Islands Daily News for House Of Dark Shadows with the "Come see how the vampires do it" slogan showing at the Cinema One movie theater.

Here's a trailer for the movie as well:

Plain Roll For Nancy

The Pittsburgh Press, April 7, 1971

"Curse of Dark Shadows", otherwise known as "Night of Dark Shadows", is a return to the ho-hum for Nancy Barrett after Caroline Stoddard's fiendish coming out party in "House of Dark Shadows" the previous year. She jokingly bemoans this fact by stating that "All I'm afraid of is that when I kiss a guy in front of a movie camera, I'll forget and bite him instead."